Sambucus nigraL. as a reservoir of beneficial insects (Diptera, Syrphidae)

Abstract

AbstractBlack elder (Sambucus nigraL.) commonly occurs throughout the country – it can be found in forests, thickets, parks, balks or in home gardens. It is a valuable reservoir of food for beneficial insects and a place of refuge or wintering. Almost every part of the elderberry plant has some uses: the fruits, flowers, leaves, roots, pith and bark. Its fruits and flowers are used in herbal medicine and in the kitchen.S. nigrais a primary host ofAphis sambuciL. feeding, which weakens plant growth, reduces flowering and fruiting, and decreases the ornamental value of these shrubs. Aphid populations are limited by a group of predatory and parasitic organisms, among which an important role is played by predatory Syrphidae. Observations were conducted in the years 2009 and 2010 in Krakow (south Poland, 19°57’E, 50°03’N). Significantly more numerousA. sambucicolonies were observed in 2009 – in the maximum of their abundance, 960 specimens per shoot were noted. Seven syrphid species were noted inA. sambucicolonies:Episyrphus balteatus(Deg.),Epistropheeligans (Harr.),Sphaerophoria scripta(L.),Syrphus ribesii(L.),Syrphus vitripennisMeig.,Scaeva pyrastri(L.) andEupeodes corollae(Fabr.).E. balteatusdominated in both years of research. Research on the effectiveness of Syrphidae was performed on four commonly occurring species – the most voracious wereEpistrophe eligans(Harr.) larvae, eating up to 676A. sambuciaphids during their development.